St Stephen's Church, Shepherd's Bush
St Stephen and St Thomas | |
---|---|
Church of St Stephen and St Thomas, Shepherd's Bush | |
Country | United Kingdom |
Denomination | Church of England |
History | |
Dedication |
St Stephen St Thomas |
Architecture | |
Architect(s) | Anthony Salvin |
Style | Victorian Gothic |
Administration | |
Diocese | London |
Clergy | |
Vicar(s) |
Reverend Dr Bob Mayo Reverend Anne Cowley |
The Church of St Stephen and St Thomas is an Anglican church in Shepherd's Bush, London. It is a so-called "Commissioners' church"; a Church of England church in the United Kingdom built with money voted by Parliament as a result of the Church Building Act of 1818. It was built circa 1849–50, designed by architect Anthony Salvin in the Gothic Revival style with a tower.
The church is on the south side of Uxbridge Road on the corner of Coverdale Road, to the west of Shepherd's Bush tube station.
History
![](../I/m/Salvin.jpg)
The Church of St Stephen and St Thomas was built circa 1849–50, designed by architect Anthony Salvin, and built in the Gothic Revival style with a tower.[1]
On completion, the periodical The Ecclesiologist, which was strongly in favour of the Gothic Revival movement, commented that the new church:
- "has a peculiar value, as indicating how far our diocesan is willing to take the peculiar responsibility of those various features of the arrangements and decoration, which from desuetude had become to a great extent novelties in England when we first advocated their revival".[1]
St Stephen's was built of Kentish Ragstone with Bath stone dressings. It had a "very well developed chancel". The stained glass windows were manufactured by William Wailes and were donated by members of the clergy and other well-wishers.[1]
St Stephen's was built as a so-called "Commissioners' church"; an Anglican church in the United Kingdom built with money voted by Parliament as a result of the Church Building Act 1818, and subsequent related Acts. Such churches have been given a number of titles, including "Commissioners' Churches", "Waterloo Churches" and "Million Act Churches". In some cases the Commissioners provided the full cost of the new church; in other cases they provided a grant and the balance was raised locally.
St Stephen's today
![](../I/m/St_Stephen's_service_in_progress.jpg)
Today St Stephen's continues to minister to the spiritual needs of the community. Services are held on Sundays at 10am. At 6.30 pm is evening prayer, a "quiet reflective service" held on the first Sunday of the month. On Thursday at 6.30pm there is a "Christian meditation".[2]
The Church also runs a Primary school called St Stephen's School Shepherd's Bush.[3] In 2008 Ofsted reported that it was "a good school with a number of outstanding features".[4]
See also
- History of Shepherd's Bush
- List of Commissioners' churches in London
- William Cooke (clergyman), priest in charge from 1850
Notes
- 1 2 3 Melanie Barber, Gabriel Sewell & Stephen Taylor, p.401, From the Reformation to the Permissive Society: a Miscellany, Lambeth palace Library Retrieved January 2012
- ↑ Official St Stephen's and St Thomas website Retrieved February 2014
- ↑ Official School website Retrieved March 2012
- ↑ teachweb.co.uk Retrieved March 2012
External links
- Official St Stephen's and St Thomas website Retrieved September 2015
Coordinates: 51°30′21″N 0°13′44″W / 51.5058°N 0.2290°W